Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-06
INe0RR;GIBLf PRISONERS.
now THEY ARE TREATED IN
OTHER STATE PRISONS.
Instructive Comparisons of Methods,
As Shown by Reports From
Wardens, Sherifis, Etc.
lsrrcnL DISPATCH TO THIS HrconD-uauos..

| ESPECIAL DISPATCH 10 THIS REcosD-uSuoN,
| Folsom, August 5th.-State Prison Di-
rectors Deylin, Filcher, Sontag and Will
kins came up this evening, and it is ru-
| mored will commence the investigation OF
| prison management as TO recent alleged
crueties towards incorrigible prisoners. II
| is quite doubtful, however, as the time
agreed upon and duly appointed for the
| investigation to commence is August 18th,
| and although some members have desired
the date changed, it has not been done, and
President Boggs is not here. The RECORD.
| UNION representative upon the ground has
tried TO ascertain definitely what steps to-
wards investigation.will be taken to-lnor-
row, if any, but nothing positive can be
learned. Here. however, is something OF
| interest concerning the manner in which
incorrigible prisoners are treated else
where:
| The following circular letter was sent to
| the Sheriffs of the counties of this State on
| the 29th ult:
| DEAE SIR: Pending the investigation of the
charges of cruelty and inbuman treatment OF
| prisoners which have been made against me by
the san Francisco press, l am collecting ex-
pressions of opinions from all those whose ex-
perience in the management of prisoners would
render their views valuable. particularly de-
| sire TO have your opinion regarding the best
|
| and obstinate prisoners, and to know what In
y9nr lndgmeha Is me proper course to pursue
| ticers or fellow-convicts. Respectfully
JOHN McCoMB, Warden.
I The following replies have so far been
received
| Dallas McCord, Sheriff of Kern county,
| Cal, says-"I know of no better way TO
punish desperate prisoners who assault fell
| low conyicts or officers than by solitary
, confinement. II would certainly be i'll
| advised to leave certain desperate charac-
| ters where they are constant danger TO
officers and prisoners, and | consider it the
duty of q jailor or Warden to protect the
| lives of his prisoners as he would his
own
| D. H Osborn, Sheriff of Mendocino
| county" We have had but few prisoners
| of this kind; but with these, after failing
| i'll gentler means, have been compelled to
rivet theavy..wrought-iron shackles on them
| and IN some instances, where they per-
sisted in assaulting fellow prisoners, We
| have found it necessary TO resort TO solitary
| confinement in the cells for limited periods
| of time
| James Bowie, Sheriff OF Trinity county
" 4 State Prison is not exactly a reforma-
tory institution, and discipline must be
| maintained at all hazards; all transgres-
! of hsat c1,
portion 10 the oifense committed; continued
and willful disobedience of orders should
| subject the culprit to solitary confinement
| and bread and water until be becomes
tractabie. In cases of desperate criminals
who have assaulted officers, | would place
them IN close confinement and keep them
there, thinking II better that their health
| should suffer than an honest man be killed
| When serving in the Army of the Potomac
| frequently saw men severely punished for
| slight infractions of military law, and dc
| not belong to that class whose sickIy senti-
| mentality for the welfare of the prisoner
has done so much to perpetuate crime
During my official visits to Folsom, | have
examined the prison and its management
quite closely, have seen much to praise
| and nothing TO condemn. What prisoners
| have been sent from this county speak
highly OF their treatment"
J. NJ. Anderson. Sheriff of Ei Dorado
county" Ny opinion is that solitary con.
tinement and the prisoners carefully looked
after SO that their health should not be
| ruined, would be a proper course Ct treat.
| ment for obstinate and refractory prisoners
| For desperate convicts who have assaulted
officers or fellow convicts, | think the prop.
er course 10 pursue with such fellows
! would be solitary confinement with an op.
pOrtunity to work, as such fellows were
! formerly treated; that is put in water
tank and made TO pump or DROWN"
James Honey, Sheriff of Solano county
Il think the treatment should depend
| somewhat on the character, disposition
and mental capacity of the prisoner. In
some cases no doubt close confinement, in
others fifty-pound ball attached to the
| leg, with hard labor, would be the proper
treatment. He should be given to under
stand that il is with reluctance the officer
inflicts the punishment but that it is ne
cessary, not only for bis own good, but
that the discipline of the prison may be
maintained. ! think the question is as diff
| ticult to answer as what Is the best course
to pursue with refractory and obstinate
| children, and perhaps the best treatment
in one case would be the proper treatment
| in the other, excepting in the manner or
| degree OF punishment. | believe it is bet
| ter to say to him, / am sorry TO have to
| punish you, than to say, 1t affords me
pleasure No difference what punishment
| is inflicted, everything depends on hsw it
is done. With your experience, and The
| time you have given TO the study of the
| question or science of penology, it would
be presumptiye in me to hope or expect
that | could with my limited experience
furnish you with any new ideas on the
subject"
NJ. NJ. Drew, Sheriff of Sacramento-'' I
can conceive of no better plan than to
confine them in solitary cell until such
time as he may be willing to behave, and
| during such confinement, would feed him
on very plain food. In this way the con-
yict regulates his own punishment All
rests with the convict himself"
| George Lord, Sheriff of Nevada county
Il have found it necessary to confine
some prisoners in dark tank and feed
| them on bread and water, letting them out
once per day, under guard. This punish
| ment has been successful in my manage
ment of the county Jail, but | can readily
| understand that there might be cases that
would require more severe treatment, and
should it be necessary l would not hesitate
to intiict such punishment as would insure
obedience to prison rules. 1t is absurd TO
place man in charge over criminals with
! Jul ilt power ~ COuupel Oruer ana ODedI-
| ence, and certainly the person in charge
knowing all the circumstances, is by lar
| the better judge of what course to pursue
than persons could be at q distance. I
don't believe that the law ever contem-
plated placing wardens and prison keepers
in charge of criminals without the power
to enforce discipline. 1t should be remenl-
bered that State Prisons are not filed with
lambs of innocence, but with a class, the
majority of whom are shut up. not with
any hope Of reforming, but to protect So
ciety from being proved upon"
w. L. Hale, Sheriff of Alameda county
In my experience of Sheriff, Ihave found
close, solitary confinement in dark cell,
with bread and water diet, to be the best y
w T. Harkey, Sheriff of Sutter county
During the twelve years that have been
Sheriff of Suffer county, have had to deal
with some of the worst of criminals: and
while human sympathy and commisera-
ton enjoins that a man, no matter how
reckless or insubordinate q prisoner he
may be, should be treated with as much
mildness as possible, cold experience has